


"Tiny Dancer"

by prodigalpoet



Series: Soulmates [8]
Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Elton John - Freeform, F/F, Soft Eve Polastri, Soft Villanelle | Oksana Astankova, Villaneve, be kind, fuck bullies, two idiots in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25418239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prodigalpoet/pseuds/prodigalpoet
Summary: Six year old Billie is bullied at school over having two moms and hurts her hand in a futile attempt to punch the bullies. Eve and Villanelle talk to their daughter about their relationship and consider the possibility of homeschooling her. Villanelle relishes the opportunity to have a chat with the mothers of the bullies the following day.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Series: Soulmates [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793398
Comments: 46
Kudos: 201





	1. "Tiny Dancer"

**Author's Note:**

> Piece named after the Elton John song, Villanelle calls Billie her "tiny dancer."

Six year old Billie is frowning and sitting on the steps in front of the school when Villanelle pulls up to the curb and jumps out of her and Eve’s black Range Rover Sport. Her eyes graze over her daughter’s knuckles and she notices that her hair is damp with sweat. Villanelle runs over to Billie and picks her up, walking back to the car quickly so she can get her home as soon as possible.

“What happened, Billie?” Villanelle swallows down the sense of apprehension she can feel crawling through her stomach. 

She watches Billie pouting in the passenger seat, her bottom lip quivering. Villanelle opens the glove compartment and takes out a mini first aid kit. “Hold still.” She wipes Billie’s knuckles with an antiseptic wipe before wrapping gauze around them and taping the wrap closed.

“Some of the kids in my class said you and Omma are weird.”

“Why?” Villanelle’s hazel eyes flash with anger as she bends down to kiss her daughter’s forehead and clip her seatbelt.

“Because you are two mommies, not a mom and a dad.”

“Who said that? Give me their names.” Villanelle growls, her foot pressing down on the accelerator as the car jerks away from the curb.

“Leslie and Marina.”

“They’re both very annoying with very annoying mothers. Their mothers get Starbucks each morning so they can talk shit about everyone. That is their full-time job. What happened after they said that to you?”

“I was very mad at them for talking about you and Omma like that so I moved my arm back to punch them but they were too fast and I ended up hitting the brick wall instead.”

Villanelle’s grip tightens around the steering wheel as she imagines her fingers around the necks of the parents who gave birth to the two girls who made her daughter upset.

“I am glad you wanted to stick up for me and for your Omma, baby, but you know Omma will worry when she sees your injured hand. Remember when we talked about aggression and anger? And how I told you I used to beat people up when I was upset but then I met your Omma and she helped me learn different ways of expressing myself?”

“Yes.” Billie bites down on her bottom lip and looks out the window, her hair falling over her face and hiding her continuously changing expressions from Villanelle.

“I want you to start remembering those techniques, okay? We can go over them when we reach home or we can discuss them tomorrow. Omma will probably want to talk to you about our relationship during dinner because what we have is not weird. It’s beautiful. We created you and your brother from it and you two are the best things that ever happened to us.”

“Really?” Billie shifts her eyes from the window to Villanelle. Villanelle returns her inquisitive gaze and nods, pulling into the driveway of their home hidden behind wrought iron gates and a row of trees.

“Yes, really. Go upstairs and change into your pjs and wash up before coming downstairs for dinner, okay?” Billie nods and runs out of the car and up the stairs to her bedroom, shouting hello to Eve who is making dinner in the kitchen.

“Excuse me? Where’s my kiss?” Eve replies, walking out of the kitchen in a blue and white striped apron over a white button down shirt of Villanelle’s tucked into high waisted jeans. Her eyebrows are still raised when Villanelle walks through the front door and shakes her head from left to right, mouthing that they need to have a very big conversation.

“What happened, baby?” Eve kisses Villanelle who eyes her up and down appreciatively before giving her another kiss. 

“It’s nice to see you, too.” Eve returns to the stove to mix the vegetable stir fry and check on the barbecue tofu strips and sweet potatoes in the oven.

“Two horrible brats at school told our baby we are weird for being together because we’re two mommies.” Villanelle mimics the last part of the sentence with disdain, her face contorting to express her disgust.

“WHAT??!!” Eve spins around and almost drops the oversized wooden fork in her right hand.

“Our little warrior was going to hit them but they took off running and she hit the wall instead. I cleaned her hand up but I don’t know how to talk to her about...us. I want to protect her from all of that bullshit but I won’t be able to. I don’t want her to be angry and lonely in school like I was.” Villanelle’s eyes sting and she welcomes Eve’s affectionate touch and wants to believe her when she whispers that everything will be alright. 

“Screw those assholes. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met and I’m so proud to be married to you. I know you’re proud to be married to me. We have two awesome kids. We’ll figure it out. We can homeschool Billie. Who needs a traditional education anyway? We’re not traditional so we can’t expect Billie to be. I don’t want to be traditional. It’s boring. Omma has been wanting to spend more time with her anyway and I know she would love to help out more. She took Joon for the day, by the way. I think they went to the farmer’s market.”

“Okay, I’m glad they’re spending time together. So…you’d be fine with pulling her out of school?”

“Of course I would.”

“I thought you would be against it.”

“Not when our daughter’s mental or physical health are at risk. I don’t want her to stay in that school and be bullied because of how narrow-minded her peers and their parents are. I don’t want her to have to fight for us. I think now is the best time, if any, to talk to her about us and ask her how it makes her feel and invite her to share.”

“I love it when you share all of these ideas.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh.” Villanelle reaches around Eve to turn off the stove and oven. She then removes the wooden fork and places it on top of the covered frying pan. She pulls Eve’s hips towards her own and kisses her deeply, inhaling the perfume against her neck.

“I missed you today.” Eve murmurs, her hands grabbing Villanelle’s ass and squeezing lightly. Villanelle laughs and nudges her nose into Eve’s neck.

“Did you think of me?”

“Yes.”

“When you woke up?”

Eve nods breathlessly, her heartbeat already out of control at the sound of Villanelle’s low voice besides her earlobe. She recognizes that voice as the voice Villanelle uses whenever she is aroused. But now was not the time to be getting it on. “Baby, let’s continue this later,” Eve whispers.

“Omma!” Billie runs into the room and sticks herself in between Villanelle and Eve’s legs, causing both to look down and laugh. Eve pulls away from Villanelle, ignoring her small groan and reaches down to pick up Billie who is wearing navy leggings and a white t-shirt with a unicorn on it.

“Hi cutie.” Eve kisses Billie on the nose and Billie grins.

“Where is Joon?”

“Your brother is with big Omma today. How was school?”

“Mom didn’t tell you?”

“Well, she mentioned a few things but I’d rather hear from you.”

“You two were too busy kissing?”

“Hey, be respectful.” Villanelle narrows her eyes at Billie as she plates up the food and takes the plates to a long oak table on the other side of the kitchen counter.

“We were just saying hello after a long day apart. Now are you going to tell me or do I have to tickle it out of you?”

Eve follows Billie to the table and they sit down next to each other. Villanelle sits down across from Eve and hands her a glass of wine.

“Thanks baby,” Eve whispers before turning her head to Billie and waiting for her to speak.

“These girls at school said you and Mom are weird so I wanted to beat them up but they ran away and I hurt my hand on the wall instead.”

“Did they say why we are weird?” Eve looks over at Villanelle who is clenching her silverware more tightly than usual and shoveling food into her mouth at a fast pace.

“Because you are two mommies and it’s weird for two mommies to be together and not a mommy and a daddy.”

“First of all, they’re wrong. Second of all, there’s nothing weird about two mommies being together. Do you think it is weird that me and your mom love each other and chose to be together?”

“No,” Billie mumbles, her eyes moving from Villanelle to Eve as she takes small bites of her food.

“How did you feel after they said that to you?”

“They made me feel angry so I wanted them to feel angry too.”

“But you hurt yourself, baby.”

“It doesn’t hurt that much anymore. Mom made it better in the car.”

Villanelle winks at Billie and a small smile crosses her lips. Her heart expands over the love she has for her daughter and she is proud of how strong and confident she is.

“Yeah, she does that, doesn’t she? Makes everything better?” Eve reaches across the table for Villanelle’s free hand and she runs her thumb across her fingers. “Honey, me and your mom love each other so much and we love you so much. We wouldn’t change that for anything.”

“Not even a gazillion dollars??”

“No, not even that. There are many moms who choose to date or marry each other and also many dads. You can’t help who you fall in love with and your mom and I happened to fall in love with each other. We may not look like another set of parents at your school but that’s okay, right? The world would be boring if everyone did what everyone else was doing.”

“Very boring,” Villanelle cuts in, nodding in agreement and rolling her eyes for emphasis.

“Yes, very boring.” Billie nods, mimicking Villanelle’s movements. Eve watches both of them and laughs. While Billie resembles her physically, she is Villanelle’s miniature in mannerisms and personality.

“Do you feel better now or would you like to think about what we discussed and then talk to us later if you have any questions?”

“I feel better right now but I am also very tired. I have had a very long day. Can I go to my room?”

“Are you sure you are done eating?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, go to your room. Mom and I will be up later to help you wash up and get ready for story time.”

Billie runs out of the room and patters upstairs, talking to herself excitedly.

Villanelle stands up and reaches for Billie’s plate. She finishes the leftovers and then takes the dishes to the kitchen to wash them. 

“Come here,” Eve says, beckoning from the couch in the living room adjacent to the kitchen. “Are you feeling better? I noticed you were a bit angry during dinner.”

Villanelle sits down next to Eve and Eve leans her body against hers.

“Yes. I think you did a great job talking to Billie. I also told her that she can’t rely on violence to solve her problems. But maybe we should teach her self-defense in one or two years.” Villanelle’s brow is furrowed and she thinks about all the possible people her daughter will interact with during the course of her lifetime and how some of them would want to harm her. Eve’s voice pulls her from her thoughts.

“Overprotective you is very sexy.” Eve licks behind Villanelle’s earlobe. 

Villanelle’s body responds immediately, her mind registering the fact that she hasn’t had sex with Eve in a week due to their busy schedules and spending time with Billie. “Bedroom?,” she mumbles, pulling her shirt out of Eve’s jeans and returning her open mouthed kisses. 

One hour and multiple orgasms later, Eve is resting her head against Villanelle’s chest. “Baby?” Eve whispers, turning her head upwards so she can look at Villanelle’s face.

“Yes?” Villanelle returns Eve’s glance and Eve smiles back shyly, her fingers tracing patterns over Villanelle’s stomach.

“Were you… were you bullied in school because you liked girls?”

“Yes,” Villanelle swallows, her eyes suddenly darkening at the memories.

“Is that why you dropped out and started to train with Dasha?”

“Yes.”

“God, people can be such assholes. I’m sorry. I wish I had been there to protect you.”

“You would have hated me when you saw the person I became after training. I stopped caring about everything. Dasha told me she was training me so I could become the best assassin. And I was.”

“I would have understood that person but I wouldn’t have hated her. Even when you were working as an assassin, you showed me more compassion than I received from the person I was married to. I fell in love with the person who remembered my birthday, sent me perfume and clothing she knew I would love, thought about me as much as I thought about her. You make me feel appreciated every single day and I love you for that.”

Villanelle’s eyes soften and the look of sadness is replaced with one of gratitude. She leans down to kiss Eve on the forehead. “You’re not afraid Billie will grow up into a violent person?”

“No. Are you?”

“When I saw her sitting outside of the school with a bloody hand, the thought crossed my mind.”

“Did you forget who is raising her? We are. She’s the smartest girl in her class and the most compassionate. Yes, she has a lot of energy but so do other children her age. It’s natural for her to be running around like a hurricane, isn’t it? I remember destroying everything in my path when I was that age.”

“Did you really?” Villanelle smiles at the image of little Eve running around, her untamed, curly hair bouncing against her neck like the wind. 

“Yes. My parents were constantly comparing me to my cousins and I always felt out of place. I tried to be more calm and patient but after I attacked this boy at summer camp for trying to hold another campgoer underwater, my parents realized I wasn’t the type to conform.”

“Did you get sent home?”

“From camp? No. I told the director about what happened and the boy was sent home.” Eve grins, reveling in the memory. “My parents told me they were proud of me when they picked me up even though my dad had prepared this whole speech about how violence doesn’t solve anything.”

“Hmm. I would say it does.” Villanelle moves her hand from Eve’s back so she can run her fingers through Eve’s hair.

“What?”

“It solved my loneliness.” Villanelle quirks one eyebrow and a nostalgic smile pulls up the corners of her lips.

“Oh.” Eve realizes what she means and blushes before adding “And mine. I got the girl and the baby and the other baby.”

Villanelle smiles widely and kisses Eve. She laughs when Billie opens the door and walks into the room, rubbing her eyes and mentioning she’s thirsty.

“Come here, sleepyhead,” Villanelle shifts her body after Eve pulls back and both of them sit up in bed.

Billie is lifted up into the bed by Villanelle who has pulled the sheets over herself. She hands Billie the glass of water from her bedside table and Billie swallows down a few gulps before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and leaning against Villanelle’s chest, her face facing Eve. 

“Is it my bedtime soon, Omma?”

“Hmm, in about half an hour. Did you finish playing with your toys?”

Billie nods, her hair tickling Villanelle’s collarbone. Villanelle plants a kiss on the top of her forehead.

“You smell sweaty. You must have been playing a lot. How is your hand?” Billie holds her hand out and Villanelle kisses the top of the gauze. “Omma and I will remove it before you go back to school.”

“I don’t want to go back to school.”

“Hey, look at me,” Villanelle says, the tone of her voice changing from soft to stern. Eve slips her hand beneath the sheets so that it’s resting on Villanelle’s thigh. “Why don’t you finish the rest of the week and then Omma and I will figure out what happens next. Maybe you would like learning at home with us and big Omma?”

Billie nods, a smile lighting up her face. “I won’t have to go back to school forever?”

“You will, but we don’t think you need to be in a traditional school for a few more years.”

“But don’t you have to leave home for work?” Billie scrunches her eyebrows together in a move that is very reminiscent of Villanelle and pushes away from Villanelle’s chest to look between her mom and her omma.

“Our work schedules can be flexible. You and your brother are our number one priority so whatever else we have to do in our lives is centered around what we need to do for you two. Does that make sense?” Eve grabs Billie’s hands and holds them between her own. “Plus, big Omma lives in the guesthouse and she can always take care of you and be here if we’re somehow not able to.”

“Okay.”

“Are you ready to get tucked in now? Your eyes are closing.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s do two stories for tomorrow, okay? Kiss Omma goodnight.” Eve pulls Billie off of Villanelle and embraces her, leaving a trail of kisses on her face. Villanelle slides out from under the sheets and throws her t-shirt and shorts on before grabbing Billie and throwing her on her shoulder as Billie’s laughter fills her ears. She walks into Billie’s space-themed bedroom and stands in the bathroom with her as she brushes her teeth and washes her face. Since the gauze has become wet and uncomfortable, Villanelle removes it and throws it in the bin beneath the sink. 

“Alright, kiddo. Time to get some sleep.” Villanelle watches Billie crawl into her rocketship shaped bed and checks the bedroom window to make sure it’s locked. She sits down on the bed and pulls the comforter over her daughter.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Are you and Omma mad at me for fighting at school?”

“No, of course not.”

“But you want to take me out of school.”

“We do, but that isn’t a bad thing. We’re doing it because sometimes there are people at school who like to bully other people. We don’t want you to stay in a harmful environment. Do you understand?” 

“Yes.”

“You were very brave today but I don’t want you to use violence again. You might get seriously hurt. And then who would I tickle? Your Omma can’t handle too much tickling. She would scream and scare all the neighbors.”

Billie giggles, her eyes scanning the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling before landing back on Villanelle’s face.

“We’ll talk more about this over the weekend. Right now try and get some sleep or you’ll be tired in the morning. Goodnight, tiny dancer.”

"Hold me close!," Billie shouts.

"Hold me closer, tiny dancer," Villanelle sings back, smiling at their inside joke and her daughter's appreciation of Elton John. She kisses her daughter on the forehead and goes downstairs to the kitchen to make tea for her and Eve. Ten minutes later, she’s carrying two cups of Earl Grey upstairs with two chocolate digestive biscuits in her mouth.

Eve laughs when Villanelle slowly shuffles into the room. She leaves the bed and takes the cups from her, setting them on the table. She then grabs one of the biscuits with her teeth. Villanelle scrunches her eyebrows together and narrows her eyes.

“Don’t turn me on with your little mouth tricks,” Villanelle huffs, chomping down on her biscuit. “Our tea will get cold if we have sex now.”

“You’re cute when you’re being a sexy parent and partner.”

“So I am cute all the time?”

“Yes.” Eve kisses away some of the biscuit crumbs from Villanelle’s chin and hands her the cup Elena gave to her after Billie was born. “Big Dad Energy” is on the front of the cup in olive green and one the back is “Oksana.” She smiles as she takes the personalized “World’s Greatest Omma” cup Villanelle gave to her a year later, still remembering the look of glee that crossed her face when she told Eve about the Etsy account Elena had told her about and how she wanted to order more personalized items.

“Billie asked me if we were mad at her because we want to take her out of that school.”

“What did you say?” 

“No, definitely not. That our decision is for her own good, not because we’re punishing her. Does she seem a lot older than six? Because sometimes I feel like I am talking to a twenty year old in a little person’s body.”

Eve laughs, handing Villanelle her empty cup and resting her head against Villanelle’s shoulder as the two sit side by side against the headboard. “She’s a miniature version of you, you know. Always asking questions, always talking to herself, always being two steps ahead of everyone else.”

“I don’t really remember what I was like when I was her age. I know I was in my head most of the time.”

“She’s so lucky to have you as her dad.”

“Don’t you think she will be confused?”

“With what?”

“The mom/dad name thing? Especially after what happened at school?”

“No. I mean she calls you mom but you’re definitely the dad figure. I don’t think she needs to start calling you dad but I think we do a good job of raising her to be respectful of titles and labels if people around her have certain preferences. I personally prefer calling you dad in some instances but calling you mom around Billie and Joon.”

“And what instances are those, Mrs. Astankova?” Villanelle sets her cup down and pulls Eve closer to her, her eyes darting across her body now barely covered by the sheets.

“Instances like this one where I think you need to remove your clothes.” 

“Whatever you want,” Villanelle replies, shimmying out of her shorts and removing her shirt and lying back down.

“Come here then, daddy,” Eve pulls Villanelle on top of her and kisses her neck. 

“Aren’t you glad this room is soundproof?” 

The next morning…

Villanelle strolls into Starbucks wearing a Dries Van Noten blazer and matching pants. Her hair is up in a bun and her skin is tingling. She spots Leslie and Marina’s mothers sitting by the window, heads bowed towards one another and deep in mindless gossip. She smirks and walks over to their table, smile still plastered on her face.

“Good morning,” Villanelle coolly remarks. The two women stare at her, mouths open in shock.

“My daughter shared with me what your daughters said to her yesterday at school and it wasn’t very nice. Now I don’t know if your children speak to you at all but it is clear you speak to them so let me remind you what was said. They told my daughter it was weird for two women to be together. Now do you want to know how that made me feel?”

“Uh…,” one of the ladies spits out, desperately looking towards the counter and the busy barista.

“It made me very, very angry. And do you know what I do when I am very, very angry?” Villanelle plants both hands on the table and turns her head to look between the two frantic and now sweating ladies.

“No?,” the lady on her right quickly blurts out, hands gripping the edge of the table. Villanelle smacks her hand down against the surface of the table when she notices the woman trying to reach for her phone.

“I kill people. I’m sure you’ve heard rumors of my previous employment experience?” Villanelle cocks her head to one side, a small smile still on her face.

“No, we haven’t,” the woman on the left offers in a shaky voice.

“Oh? I can show you some pictures, if you would like. In the meantime, start raising your children into becoming less homophobic and more kind. My wife is an incredibly smart government agent and I’m a former assassin itching to jump back into work. So if you even think about telling anyone about this conversation, you will be dead before you have the chance to say goodbye to your bratty children. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” both women reply. 

“That’s what I thought.” Villanelle sneers at them and exits the coffee shop after buying two soy lattes.

After getting into the car, she pulls her phone out of her pocket to text Eve.

Villanelle: Just left the coffee shop. Needed to relay a message to the two starfucks. Got you a latte;-D See you in a few minutes. xx.


	2. "Rocket Man"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle is called into the principal's office to talk about Billie's incident and she's reminded of why she used to hate school so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is all fluffy and domestic now so the next chapter is going to have some angst and some not-hate-hate sex between the two idiots because...balance. 
> 
> Leave a comment if you can guess the reason behind the not-hate-hate sex or comment if you want to suggest one.
> 
> Also leave a comment if you want me to incorporate a song from Taylor's "Folklore." Which one should it be and why?

Just as Villanelle is about to pull away from the curb and drive home, she receives a call from Billie’s principal asking her to come to the school. She can feel anger simmering within her chest cavity and quickly calls Eve to ask her if she wants to join her for the impromptu meeting.

“Omma and Joon are downstairs. He fell asleep on the couch after we had already gone to bed last night so Omma stayed downstairs with him. Do you want to pick us up? Omma has to meet a friend for lunch but me and Joon can be ready in five minutes.”

“No, I don’t want Joon to witness anything during the meeting or have to wait for us. Why don’t you two stay home and I’ll meet with her myself. Is that okay?”

“Yes. Will you be okay?”

“Yes. I’ll see you in an hour. Xx.”

“I love you.”

Villanelle pulls up to the front of the school and parks, snarling beneath her breath at having to deal with such bullshit since the parents of the other two girls were obviously not called in. When she walks into the principal’s office, Billie runs over to her from a chair in front of the desk.

“Hi baby,” Villanelle says, kissing Billie on the cheek.

“Mrs. Astankova, you can take a seat, if you will. Billie was just finishing telling me what happened.”

“Oh? You started the meeting without me?”

“Sorry, Mom,” Billie mumbles.

“Don’t apologize, Billie. I’m not upset with you.” 

Villanelle gives the principal a pointed stare.

“I didn’t know how quickly you would be arriving…”

“Ohhhkay,” Villanelle interjects dramatically. 

“Well,” the principal clears her throat, “Billie told me she almost hit the two other children involved in this, ah, little altercation and I want to remind her that violence is not tolerated at this school.”

“Oh, but homophobia and bigotry are?” Villanelle can feel her blood boiling as she stares the principal in the eyes, wanting to reach over her desk and hit her in the head with her globe paperweight.

“I will be speaking with both of those girls separately and...”

“What about their parents or am I the only one being called into your office?”

“Uh, yes, I will be speaking with them as well. Don’t worry, since there was no actual physical contact, I will not be disciplining your daughter although I am concerned about her conflict resolution skills. Therefore I do think it is important for me to inquire about the situation at home.”

Villanelle takes a breath and glances at Billie who is swinging her legs and looking directly at her principal, brow furrowed. 

“I don’t understand the implication,” Villanelle says coldly.

“Is there anything going on at home that the school needs to be informed about?”

“Billie, why don’t you step out of the room and just wait for me beyond the closed door. Don’t move anywhere, sit down in front of the secretary’s desk, okay?”

“Okay.”

Villanelle turns to the principal after her daughter has left the room, a grimace on her face.

“Do you think I am hurting my child or my wife or that my wife is hurting our child or me?”

“Oh, now you’re just putting words into my mouth,” the principal stutters, regretting the statement she made.

“You are concerned over my daughter’s perfectly normal reaction to getting bullied and you are asking me what the situation in our house is like?”

“We need to have all our bases covered, for the best interests of your child. I am simply asking because I am concerned with her behavior.”

“You are not concerned about my child’s best interests. If you were, you would have arranged a meeting with all the parents of the children who were involved, not just me. And you do not need to be concerned with her behavior like there is something wrong with her. There isn’t.”

Villanelle stands up, her body thrumming with unreleased energy. She looks down at the principal and smirks when a brief look of fear crosses her face.

“I need a copy of my daughter’s file ready by the end of the day. If you want to discuss this situation in any more detail, I would be more than happy to show up here again and talk to the parents of the other children involved and I also would not mind bringing along my lawyer.”

“Of course. I will let you know when such a meeting can be arranged,” the principal replies, her voice shaky as she tries to busy herself with a stack of papers on her desk.

Villanelle turns on her heel and exits the room. She spots Billie eating a lollipop in front of the secretary’s desk.

“Would you mind having a copy of my daughter’s file ready for when I come back to pick her up?,” Villanelle asks the secretary, giving her a fake wide grin. 

Robin blushes and nods, confirming what Eve has suspected all along, that she has a crush on Villanelle. 

“Thanks. The principal already gave me the go ahead.”

“Okay, sure. It will be here when you come back.”

“Great.”

Villanelle turns to Billie. “Hey sidekick, you have to go back to class now but I’m going to come and get you in a few hours, okay?”

“Mom, were you mad at Principal Horvath?”

“Let’s talk at home. Robin, will you make sure Billie returns to her class?”

“Yes, I’ll walk her. Come on, Billie.”

“Okay.”

Villanelle bends down and hugs Billie goodbye and watches Robin walk her down the hallway and into a classroom. She exhales and rubs her forehead, snatching her phone out of her pocket to send Eve a text: Coming home. See you soon.

Eve: I hope everything’s okay. 

“I think homeschooling is a great idea *thumbs up*”

Ten minutes later…

Villanelle unlocks the front door and sees her five year old son sitting at the kitchen counter and eating from a bowl of cut up strawberries. 

“Mom!,” Joon exclaims as she sneaks up behind him and kisses his forehead. 

“Hey, rocket man. Did you have fun spending the whole day and night with Big Omma?,” Villanelle asks, sitting next to her dark-haired and dark-eyed son. She steals a strawberry slice and throws it into her mouth.

Joon nods. “She bought me some toys.”

“Do you need any more?”

“Yes,” Joon giggles, reacting to Villanelle tickling him.

“Baby, are you done?,” Eve asks, leaning over the counter to give Villanelle a kiss and taking her latte from her.

“Yes.”

“Are you going to play in the living room where we can see you?”

“Yes. When is Billie home?”

“In a few hours.”

Villanelle helps Joon off the chair and watches him run into the living room where he grabs one of his dinosaur figurines and starts to move it along the length of the couch.

Eve sits next to Villanelle and drinks her coffee. “How’d it go?,” she murmurs, kissing Villanelle’s temple.

“Horvath was more concerned about Billie almost knocking those girls out than she was about what they said to her.”

“Seriously? I mean, I didn’t expect much from her but geez… what else did she say?” 

“She asked if there was anything going on at home.”

“She asked you that? In front of Billie?”

“Yep,” Villanelle replies, popping the p and drinking her now-cold coffee. “I asked Billie to leave the room and then I threatened to return with our lawyer and asked for Billie’s school records. I think removing her from that school will be best.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Angry, still. She didn’t even care what was said to our child. And why didn’t she call those assholes in? They were still at the cafe when I was called…oh, and she questioned Billie about what happened before I even arrived.”

“I’m glad you addressed those assholes since it doesn’t seem like the principal is going to. What a toxic environment. If I had the energy or time, I’d send a letter to the school board. She was asking Billie questions without you?”

“Yeah, she asked her what happened. And I’m glad I talked to them, too. They looked terrified when I reminded them about what I used to do for a living.” 

Villanelle smirks and Eve scoffs, throwing her a smile nonetheless.

“Shit! I forgot to call Carolyn back. She needs me at the office.”

“Go. I’m going to play with Joon and then get some work done while he naps. Do you want me to pick up Billie?”

“No, I’ll get her. I’ll see you later?”

“I’ll be here,” Eve says softly, returning Villanelle’s deep kiss.

“Joon? Come here for a second, baby,” Villanelle calls out. “I have to go to work now. Are you going to be good for omma and big Omma?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to play dinosaurs and dinosaurs later?”

“Can I be brontosaurus??”

“Hmm, I might have to stretch your body out so your neck becomes longer.”

“Noooo,” Joon laughs.

“I have to go. I love you.”

“Love you.” 

Villanelle kisses her son’s sweaty forehead and leaves, downing the rest of her coffee.

Five hours later…

“Go find omma and give her a kiss,” Villanelle says to Billie after taking her coat and hanging it up behind her bedroom door. Billie runs into the bathroom across the hall and Villanelle laughs at Joon’s enthusiastic and noisy reaction.

“Hey!! No kicking suds at your sister! Hi, baby. Where’s mom?”

“Here.” Villanelle steps into the bathroom and grins at her wife’s disheveled and damp, albeit adorable, look. Eve is sitting on a stool next to the tub and pouring water over their son. 

“Joon, have you been trying to play submarine while omma is giving you a bath?”

“No. I was trying to hunt for some treasure.”

“Billie, do you want to go to your room and change? Joon, let me rinse you off so your omma can take a break.”

“Are you sure, baby? You haven’t changed.”

“It’s okay.”

Joon laughs at the comical expression on Villanelle’s face and is soon rinsed and dried off. Twenty minutes later, he and Billie are playing in the garden with their grandmother while Villanelle and Eve prepare dinner together.

“How was your day?,” Eve asks Villanelle who is unusually quiet and cutting up vegetables.

“Carolyn wants me to track some suspicious activity in Amsterdam this weekend. I have to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, babe…”

“I know. I’ll try and make it one night and two days. Especially if we’re going to figure out this homeschooling thing.”

“I don’t want you to rush through your work and compromise yourself. Just do whatever Carolyn wants you to do and we can talk about homeschooling when you come back. They’ll miss you.”

“What about their omma?”

“What about her?” Eve quirks one eyebrow and laughs when Villanelle grabs her from behind and plants a kiss against the side of her neck. “Don’t be coy. We haven’t even eaten dinner yet.”

“You made it too easy for me.”

“I know, or maybe you’re just too good.”

“Can you check the potatoes?”

Villanelle opens the oven and removes a tray of baked potatoes. She leaves the tray on top of the stove and puts the vegetables on another tray, sprinkling them with olive oil and seasoning them before placing them inside the oven.

“Can I start frying the salmon?”

“Yes please. I’m going to make sure the kids aren’t running circles around Omma, okay?”

Villanelle nods and watches her wife disappear into the living room and through the back door to the garden.

She seasons two large pieces of salmon and places them facedown in a frying pan filled with a little bit of oil, onion, and garlic. A few minutes later, she’s repeating the process with another two pieces and dinner is ready thirty minutes later. After dinner, Eve watches a movie with her mother in the living room and Villanelle takes the kids upstairs to wash up and get ready for story time. Both Billie and Joon sit next to her in her and Eve’s bed as she shares two stories with them, using different voices and expressions for each of the characters and making her kids laugh incessantly. Eve grins when she walks through the doorway and sees Joon asleep in Villanelle’s lap. Billie is leaning against her and looking up at her with an enraptured expression as Villanelle quietly mimics a dragon’s roar above Joon’s head.

“Alright, baby, it’s time for you to fall asleep. Let’s go wash up,” Eve says, picking Billie up and ignoring her whines. “Mom can finish the story when she comes back from her work trip. Just remind her when she comes home and she’ll pick up where she left off.”

“Goodnight, sidekick,” Villanelle calls out, stepping gingerly out of the bed and taking her son to his room. “Goodnight, rocket man,” Villanelle whispers, kissing Joon on the forehead. 

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Villanelle pulls out a carry on suitcase from the hallway cupboard and starts to place some of her clothes inside. She stops when Eve walks out of the bathroom.

“I don’t want you to leave,” Eve scowls.

“I don’t want to leave either. I’m going to try and come back on Sunday, okay?” 

“No, don’t rush through anything, we’ll be fine. I just don’t like being separated from you.”

“Me neither. Let’s go to sleep. I can pack in the morning.”

Villanelle lets Eve get into bed first before turning her phone on Do Not Disturb mode and turning off the bedside table lamp. Eve sighs and both move their bodies so their sides are touching. Villanelle turns her cheek and kisses Eve’s forehead. 

“I hate going away but I like being missed,” Villanelle confesses.

“I like being the one to miss you. Is this assignment a dangerous one? Potentially?”

Villanelle doesn’t reply. The hesitancy causes Eve to turn her head so she can look at Villanelle in the eye even though the room is dark.

“Baby…”

“I think there is always potential for unpredictability but you know how good I am at what I do. And you know I don’t kill anymore so that dangerous aspect is off the table.”

“I know you’re serving as a consultant but it’s still dangerous, V. I can’t help but be worried whenever you leave on these weekend long assignments.”

“Come with me next time? Omma can take care of the kids and Elena can stay over to help out?” 

Eve hears the desperation in her wife’s voice and she knows Villanelle will miss her, too. “I will. You should try and sleep now if you have leave in the morning?”

“Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight.”


	3. "The Archer"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle returns home from Amsterdam and Eve and her get into a fight. There's angry sex and accusations. Nothing is resolved at the end of the chapter. To be continued!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from Taylor Swift song of same name. Thank you to user Mdmdmmdmdm who suggested this song!
> 
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKPGEKfyYj0
> 
> Lyrics:  
> Combat, I'm ready for combat  
> I say I don't want that, but what if I do?  
> 'Cause cruelty wins in the movies  
> I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you  
> Easy they come, easy they go  
> I jump from the train, I ride off alone  
> I never grew up, it's getting so old  
> Help me hold onto you  
> I've been the archer  
> I've been the prey  
> Who could ever leave me, darling?  
> But who could stay?  
> Dark side, I search for your dark side  
> But what if I'm alright, right, right, right here?  
> And I cut off my nose just to spite my face  
> Then I hate my reflection for years and years  
> I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost  
> The room is on fire, invisible smoke  
> And all of my heroes die all alone  
> Help me hold onto you  
> I've been the archer,  
> I've been the prey  
> Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling?  
> But who could stay?  
> (I see right through me, I see right through me)  
> 'Cause they see right through me  
> They see right through me  
> They see right through  
> Can you see right through me?  
> They see right through  
> They see right through me  
> I see right through me  
> I see right through me  
> All the king's horses, all the king's men  
> Couldn't put me together again  
> 'Cause all of my enemies started out friends  
> Help me hold onto you  
> I've been the archer  
> I've been the prey  
> Who could ever leave me, darling?  
> But who could stay?  
> (I see right through me, I see right through me)  
> Who could stay?  
> Who could stay?  
> Who could stay?  
> You could stay  
> You could stay  
> You  
> Combat, I'm ready for combat

When Villanelle returns home, it’s 5:12PM on Sunday. She drops her suitcase by the front door and winces in pain as she stands up.

She walks into the house and notices that it is eerily quiet. Billie’s shoes aren’t in their usual spot and neither are Joon’s so maybe Eve and Omma took them out somewhere, Villanelle thinks, slowly climbing the stairs.

“Eve???,” she calls out, dropping her suitcase by the door.

Walking into the bedroom, she sees Eve sitting on the bed, back against the headboard. Her knees are drawn up close to her chest with her arms around them and her head is resting above her kneecaps.

“Are you okay?,” Villanelle asks, quietly.

“Am I okay??,” Eve retorts, lifting her head. Her eyes are red-rimmed and it’s evident that she’s been crying. “I haven’t heard from you since Friday night and you have the audacity to ask me if I am okay?”

“I wanted to call you,” Villanelle feebly interrupts, trying to sit next to Eve.

“And you couldn’t because the assignment was more dangerous than you actually let on, right? Because now lying to me by omission is your modus operandi?”

“What are you talking about?,” Villanelle asks, wincing again at the pain, and stands up to find some relief.

If Eve notices the wince, she doesn’t stop to inquire.

“You said you were only acting as a consultant for Carolyn or whoever the hell you’re working for, right? You told me that. So why did the photo Bear sent to me show you in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, in a fucking pig mask, standing in a window, in front of a man you evidently just killed? Do you miss being an assassin, is that what this is about? Domestic life just isn’t your kink?“

“Stop it,” Villanelle says, her voice low.

“What, you can’t handle the truth??” Eve stands up and walks over to Villanelle, her face taut and eyes flashing with anger. 

“I am not bored with my, with our, life. I don’t even want to be fucking working, I’m—“

“Do not say you’re working for us. Don’t use our own children to satisfy your own personal desires.”

“Do you think I wake up every day, wanting to be an assassin again? Are you delusional? I think you secretly want me to be an assassin because I was exciting to you then, no? You were enraptured by the thrill of the chase? Maybe I’m boring to you now because I actually enjoy reading bedtime stories and going to the park with our kids.”

“DO NOT PUT THIS ON ME!” Eve jabs a finger towards her wife’s face.

“Oh, this isn’t about you, it’s only about me being a fuck-up? We have to fucking schedule sex because you’re busy with work, too, aren’t you? It’s almost like you’re not even attracted to me anymore. Are you disgusted with me because I don’t fuck you with a knife to your throat or a gun strapped to my thigh?

“Oh, bullshit!! You’ve got to me kidding me!! We had sex before you left unless you forgot because you were so excited to jump on a fucking plane to the Red Light District!” Eve raises her hands and pushes Villanelle backwards so that her body hits the wall behind her.

“So now you think I fucked someone there? Are you FUCKING OUT OF YOUR MIND?” Villanelle grabs Eve’s wrists lightly as soon as Eve starts pummeling her chest but makes no motion to move.

“Did you fuck someone over there??”

“NO! How could you even think I would do that to you or our two kids?”

“Your neck is bruised and if you actually are working as a consultant and not an assassin, who would have been able to get so close to you?,” Eve says, eyes grazing over her wife’s throat. Her pupils are blown and dark, darker than her hair, and her chest is heaving up and down. 

“I don’t know who you are anymore if you think I would, or could, cheat on you,” Villanelle replies coolly, trying her hardest not to cry before releasing her grip and walking out of the room. She slips downstairs and gets into their car and zooms off, hands slamming the steering wheel in frustration at the way Eve has made her feel. She turns on the bluetooth and plays music off of her phone, shaking her head to the beat as tears roll down her face. 

“Combat, I'm ready for combat.  
I say I don't want that, but what if I do?  
'Cause cruelty wins in the movies,  
I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you.

Easy they come, easy they go  
I jump from the train, I ride off alone  
I never grew up, it's getting so old.  
Help me hold onto you.

I've been the archer,  
I've been the prey.  
Who could ever leave me, darling?  
But who could stay?”

As Villanelle drives down one country lane after another, Eve stands in the middle of their bedroom and screams at the top of her lungs before throwing herself facedown on the bed to cry. She gets up when she hears her mother returning with Billie and Joon an hour later.

“Eve?”

“Coming.”

“Oksana isn’t home yet?”

“Hi babies,” Eve bends down and hugs Billie and Joon. “Come upstairs with me and you can wash up, okay? Omma, I’ll be done in a few minutes.”

“Where’s Mom?,” Billie asks, eyes searching the house.

“She’ll be home soon. Go and change your clothes please. Joon, come with me.”

Eve walks into her son’s room and watches him change into his pajamas and use the bathroom.

“Did you eat dinner with Omma?”

“Yes.”

“Are you still hungry?”

“No. Is Mom going to read me a story whens she comes back?”

“We’ll see. Let’s go downstairs. Billie!”

Billie runs out of her room in her pajamas, hair flowing behind her.

The trio reach the living room and Eve watches her kids sit down next to her mother on the couch.

“Who wants hot chocolate?,” she calls out, feeling her eyes stinging with tears at the presence of Villanelle’s absence.

“Eve?”

Eve’s mother walks into the kitchen and Eve keeps an eye on her kids as she makes them almond milk hot chocolate.

“What happened?”

“Oksana and I had a fight. I don’t know where she is. She didn’t answer when I called her and she didn’t reply to my text messages.”

“She’ll come back.”

“How do you know?”

“She loves you. Why don’t I watch a movie with the kids and you can figure out what’s going on with Oksana, hm?”

“No, it’s okay, Omma. You must be tired.”

“I’m old but I’m not old tired,” Omma laughs. She puts the cups on a tray and takes them into the living room.

Eve walks upstairs and calls Elena, shutting her bedroom door behind her.

“Is she over there?”

“Who?”

“My wife,” Eve says, trying not to sound frustrated.

“Uh, no? What happened?”

“We had an argument. I started it. But I was worried about her. I didn’t hear from her all weekend.”

“She had an assignment?”

“Yeah, in Amsterdam.”

“That’s not like her to not contact you all weekend. She usually does…she must have gotten hurt or something? I mean, was she bleeding or injured when she came back?”

“Not that I could see but she did keep wincing.”

“Well…”

“Shit…I also sort of implied she slept with someone else.”

“You what?!”

“I’m such a dick.”

“Uh, yeah. I would actually have to agree on that one. She would never do that. I’m pretty sure you’re saved in her contacts as ‘Baby’ and she’s always texting or video chatting with you even if she leaves for five or ten minutes.”

“I was just really tired and upset.”

“You don’t think she was really tired and upset, too?”

Eve sighs. “You could have become a psychologist, you know. You’re really good at this.”

“What, providing you with free therapy? Good thing my godchildren are cute.”

Elena chuckles.

“Hey, I’m going to go, in case she calls. Thanks for picking up. I’ll send you an update tomorrow.”

“She loves you. And you love her. Stop being stupid.”

Eve chuckles softly and hangs up, lying down on the bed. She decides to text Villanelle again but hears her car pulling into the driveway.

“MOM!,” Billie yells as soon as the front door opens.

“Hi baby. I’ve missed you.”

“Me too. Did you bring me any presents?”

“Hmm. Let me check.”

Eve hears Villanelle unzip the duffel bag she bought in from the car. Billie yelps with glee after receiving a gift. 

“Mom, you’re bleeding,” Billie says. 

Eve opens the bedroom door all the way and walks down the stairs, eyes lifting to meet Villanelle’s. She inhales sharply when she notices the bloodstain on her white t-shirt. Villanelle quickly covers it up with her bomber jacket and tells Billie to give Joon his gift. She averts her gaze and follows Billie into the living room to say hello to Omma and Joon.

“It’s getting kind of late. I think it’s time for you monsters to go to sleep. Tell Omma goodnight, okay?”

Villanelle easily grabs both of her kids, one against each shoulder, and walks past Eve up the stairs.

“Go and brush your teeth please,” Villanelle says, wincing, and sitting on Joon’s bed.

Eve walks in and sits down next to her. Villanelle instantly stands up and shakes her head saying quietly, “Not now,” before walking into Billie’s room.

“Hey sidekick,” Villanelle says, hand instinctively covering the growing stain on her t-shirt as Billie walks out of her bathroom and looks up at Villanelle with a concerned expression.

“Did you brush?”

“Yes.”

“Wash your face?”

“Yes. Why are you bleeding?”

“A dragon found me on the way home.”

Billie's mouth falls open and her eyes widen.

Villanelle picks her up and places her in her bed, kissing her on the forehead.

“Did you beat the dragon?"

"No. That's mean. I just let him fly away. Sometimes dragons breathe fire and don't mean to hurt anybody. Humans just get in their way and accidents happen."

"Oh. Are you and Omma fighting?"

“Do you think we are?"

“Yes. You’re not talking to each other. You talk a lot to each other all the time.”

“We’ll talk soon. Don’t worry.”

“Is it because I am not going to school anymore?”

“No, of course not. Now go to sleep, okay? I’ll tell you a story tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight, baby,” Billie mimics.

Villanelle smiles and plugs in her nightlight. When she leaves her room, she hears Eve saying goodnight to Joon. She sighs and walks into their bedroom, quickly stripping out of her clothes and stepping into the shower. She bites down on her bottom lip when the water runs over the bloody gauze bandage. After quickly shampooing her hair and washing the entirety of her body with body wash, Villanelle rinses off. Stepping out of the shower, she rips the bandage off and throws it into the bin. She dries off the wound and pulls out the First Aid kit beneath the sink before applying another. When she walks out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, her breath catches when she notices Eve sitting on the edge of their bed, watching her. She looks worried and upset.

“I don’t want to talk tonight. I just want to sleep, okay? I’m really tired. We have to go to Billie’s school in the morning and get some more paperwork so we can officially pull her out of there.”

“I respect your feelings and fine, we’ll talk tomorrow. I just need to know if you’re okay…the blood?”

“Yes,” Villanelle replies. 

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Eve sighs and walks into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind her. She runs the water and sits on the edge of the bathtub and cries while Villanelle falls asleep in their bed.

“Dark side, I search for your dark side  
But what if I'm alright, right, right, right here?  
And I cut off my nose just to spite my face,  
Then I hate my reflection for years and years.

I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost  
The room is on fire, invisible smoke  
And all of my heroes die all alone  
Help me hold onto you.

I've been the archer,  
I've been the prey  
Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling?  
But who could stay?”

The next morning…

“Good morning, we’re just here to collect some paperwork. Principal Horvath said you’d have it ready?”

“Oh, yes!” Robin gets up and grabs a manila envelope from the desk behind her. She pulls out a stack of papers and hands them to Villanelle, her eyes briefly flitting over Eve’s face. “You need to sign there.”

“Both of us or…?”

“Um, both, I guess. To be safe.”

“Safety is important,” Villanelle replies and Robin bursts out laughing.

Eve scowls and watches Robin’s face change color in front of her eyes. “Seriously?,” she asks, beneath her breath. 

“Do you know what school you’re putting Billie in? I can send a copy of her file over for a smooth transfer?”

“Oh, we’re probably going to homeschool her.”

“Oh! That’s exciting! It’s nice you can fit that into your busy schedule.”

Eve clears her throat but neither Robin nor Villanelle respond to the obvious interference in the conversation.

“She’s my daughter so my work schedule isn’t really as important as her education.”

“Of course. You’re such a hands-on parent. She’s really lucky.”

“Yes, she’s very lucky. Are we done here?,” Eve vocalizes after signing the papers.

Robin’s eyes shoot to her face and she nods, grabbing the papers from her to check over the signatures.

“I’ll just make a copy and give it back to you. I’ll be a few seconds, just popping down the hall to where the printer is.”

The second Robin leaves the office, Eve turns to Villanelle. “Are you seriously flirting with the secretary in front of my own eyes?”

“I’m simply being friendly and answering her questions so we don’t encounter any issues with our child’s removal from this school,” Villanelle replies, gritting her teeth.

“Oh now she’s ‘our child’? I thought you were telling Robin all about ‘my daughter’ a few seconds ago.”

“What has gotten into you?!,” Villanelle hisses, quickly turning away from Eve and towards the desk as Robin re-enters the room. 

“Here you go. Good luck with everything. Bring Billie back some time for a visit. I’m sure her friends would like to see her. I would, too.”

“Great, thanks.” Villanelle takes the folder from Robin and waits for Eve to exit the room before following her to their car.

“I’m driving,” Eve demands, holding her hand out for the key.

“You don’t even like to drive,” Villanelle replies, confused.

“Oksana, give me the damn car keys.”

“Fine,” Villanelle spits out, shoving the keys into Eve’s palm and throwing herself into the passenger seat. 

“Can we talk now or would you rather go inside and talk to Robin?”

“You cannot be serious. I don’t want you to drive if you’re upset.”

“Oh, you don’t want me to drive when I’m being emotional? I’m too hysterical for you?”

“SHUT UP. PULL OVER.”

“NO!”

“PULL THE FUCKING CAR OVER.”

“YOU’RE INJURED, YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE DRIVING, SHUT UP SO I CAN DRIVE US HOME,” Eve screams.

Villanelle clamps her mouth shut and looks out her window, her entire body throbbing with adrenaline and pain.

When they reach home, Eve charges into the house, chucking the keys onto the kitchen counter. She spies a note left by her mother “Took the kids to Aunt Christine’s. Be back later,” and sticks it on the fridge. When she turns around, Villanelle is standing right behind her, pupils dark and jaw set.

“You want to fucking talk? Let’s talk,” Villanelle growls.

“I don’t want to talk to you when you’re this angry,” Eve replies calmly, her eyes shifting to the placement of Villanelle’s hand beneath her breast.

“You don’t get to make unilateral decisions like that. Last time I checked, I was part of this family, too, unless you forgot because you were so quick to cross me off.”

“I haven’t crossed you off!”

“You think I think our life is boring.”

“No, I didn’t say that.”

“You did! Last night! Did you forget?”

Eve can see the vein in Villanelle’s forehead and can feel the energy rolling off of her skin like waves. Without even pausing to respond, she kisses her, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt and turning her around so her back hits the fridge.

Villanelle tries to speak up but Eve doesn’t let her. She continues to kiss her relentlessly, preventing her from saying anything until she hears Villanelle exhale and looks down at the area beneath her breast to see if there’s any evidence of blood.

Before she can raise her head, Villanelle grabs her by the cuff off her collar and walks her back into the living room, pushing her onto the couch and ignoring her whimpers.

“Is this what you want? A rough quickie? Then lie back and let me fuck you. Don’t try to take off my clothes.”

Eve knows that Villanelle would stop if she asked her to but she doesn’t want her to stop so she lets her kiss her, bruising her lips with her hungry mouth and pushing down on her hipbones with more force than she usually would use.

“Remove your shirt,” Villanelle growls, working on Eve’s pants. She yanks them off within seconds and slips her hands beneath Eve’s back to unclasp her bra. She pulls it off of her and throws it on top of the coffee table before latching onto Eve’s nipples and biting down. Not enough to draw blood, but enough to make Eve cry out, causing her to dig her fingernails in Villanelle’s back.

Villanelle slips one hand between Eve’s legs and enters her with two fingers. She pummels them into her rapidly, not wanting to slow down, as Eve writhes beneath her, her moans hot and heavy against Villanelle’s earlobe.

“Do you like that? I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk straight,” Villanelle announces in a low and husky voice, nibbling on Eve’s earlobe and bucking her own hips downwards to restrain Eve’s uncontrollable hip thrusts.

Villanelle feels Eve’s cum coating her fingers but continues to thrust them into her as Eve whimpers against her neck, trying to kiss its base. Villanelle pulls back and leaves open-mouthed kisses across her collarbone and between her breasts, dragging her teeth nimbly across skin, knowing that there’ll be bruises there in the morning.

When her palm hits Eve’s clit, Eve screams “Fuck!’ into Villanelle’s ear, making Villanelle speed up her hand motions even more. She mercilessly continues to pump her fingers in and out, only stopping when Eve begins to shudder beneath her, coating her fingers again. With one leg in between both of Eve’s and the other planted firmly on the couch, Villanelle is more than capable of holding Eve’s hips down as Eve’s body frantically responds to Villanelle’s.

Once Eve’s body has stilled, Villanelle pulls her slick body off of hers and walks upstairs to remove her clothes and shower. Her body is trembling with arousal and anger so she hopes the cold shower will literally and figuratively cool her down. She closes her eyes and sees Eve’s face in the throes of an orgasm. Her eyes are squinted shut, head is thrown back against a couch cushion, and hair is splayed out around her.

“Fuck,” Villanelle whispers, angry at herself for wanting to be touched even though she is still angry at Eve. She quickly slips her fingers between her thighs and touches herself. The second her fingers circle her clit, she pictures Eve’s head between her legs and can almost feel her tongue on her. 

“Fuck!,” she says again, making her hand into a fist and pounding the wall. She removes her fingers and washes them off before applying body wash and rinsing and stepping out of the shower. 

When she enters the bedroom naked, Eve is standing in the doorway. Her clothes are back on and her face is still flushed, messy hair framing it in a fuzzy haze, almost like a halo.

“Can we please talk now?,” Eve asks quietly.

“Just let me take a nap. Please. We will talk later.”

Eve nods, eyes wandering down Villanelle's face to the gauze bandage. She wants to scream in Villanelle’s face about how absurd it is that she just fucked her and now doesn’t even want to talk to her but she knows, deep down, at how hurt Villanelle is over what she said so she doesn’t try to push her luck. She walks out of the bedroom and shuts the door behind her before slipping into Billie’s room and lying down in her bed to cry.

“All the king's horses, all the king's men,  
couldn't put me together again  
'Cause all of my enemies started out friends  
Help me hold onto you.”


	4. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and Villanelle finally talk about their feelings (and have make-up sex!) after talking to different people about their feelings. 
> 
> Naturally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from Elton John song of same name.
> 
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0qW9P-uYfM
> 
> Lyrics:
> 
> Don't go breaking my heart  
> I couldn't if I tried  
> Honey, if I get restless  
> Baby, you're not that kind  
> Don't go breaking my heart  
> You take the weight off me  
> Oh, honey, when you knock on my door  
> Ooh, I gave you my key  
> Ooh-hoo, nobody knows it  
> When I was down  
> I was your clown  
> Ooh-hoo, nobody knows it, nobody knows  
> Right from the start  
> I gave you my heart  
> Oh oh, I gave you my heart  
> So don't go breaking my heart  
> I won't go breaking your heart  
> Don't go breaking my heart  
> And nobody told us  
> 'Cause nobody showed us  
> And now it's up to us, babe  
> Whoa, I think we can make it  
> So don't misunderstand me  
> You put the light in my life  
> Oh, you put the spark to the flame  
> I've got your heart in my sights  
> Ooh-hoo, nobody knows it  
> When I was down  
> I was your clown  
> Ooh-hoo, nobody knows it, nobody knows  
> Right from the start  
> I gave you my heart  
> Oh oh, I gave you my heart

"Don't go breaking my heart  
And nobody told us  
'Cause nobody showed us  
And now it's up to us, babe  
Whoa, I think we can make it  
So don't misunderstand me  
You put the light in my life  
Oh, you put the spark to the flame  
I've got your heart in my sights."

“Mom!,” Billie cries out, reaching for Villanelle.

Villanelle opens her eyes slowly and sees Billie standing beside the bed.

“Where’s your omma, baby?,” Villanelle asks, sitting up and pulling her on the bed.

“She’s sleeping on my bed. I think she is very tired.”

“Hmm, yes, she is. I hope you didn’t try to wake her up.”

“No. Big Omma is giving Joon a bath so I came in here because I knew you would hear me.”

“You did, huh?”

“Yes.”

Billie crawls into Villanelle’s lap and Villanelle rests her chin on her head, breathing in her scent. Billie slides her arms around Villanelle’s waist, making Villanelle smile.

“You’ve been playing a lot today, huh”

“Yes. Why is Omma not sleeping in your bed where she always sleeps?”

“Because she didn’t want to disturb me. She is very considerate like that.”

“Because you were bleeding?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to die?,” Billie asks, her eyebrows raised and voice more high pitched than usual.

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to take a nap?”

“Yes, but in my bed. You move around too much.” Billie pouts and Villanelle laughs at how expressive her daughter is.

“I do?”

“Yes. I don’t know how Omma can sleep next to you.”

“Hm. Maybe you should ask her when she wakes up?”

“Okay.”

Villanelle grins and bends her head down to look her daughter in the eyes. “I’ll take you into your bedroom but we need to be very quiet, okay? Like we are playing the silent game.”

“Ssshhh!,” Billie places her index finger in front of her lips and looks around furtively like the game has already begun.

“Exactly.”

Villanelle lifts Billie down before taking her hand and leading her to her room. Eve is sleeping on her side, left arm out, looking peaceful. Villanelle points to the empty space on the bed and motions for Billie to sleep there after helping her on it. She then places her own index finger in front of her lips and Billie copies the gesture, nodding. Villanelle waits until Billie lies down, her head on top of Eve’s outstretched arm, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

Before going into Joon’s room, she decides to call Nadia.

“Are you awake?”

“No, I am sleeping and speaking to you at the same time. It’s a challenging skill but one that I am quite good at.”

“You’re very not funny,” Villanelle replies.

“What’s going on?”

“I got into a fight with Eve.”

“About?”

“A work trip in Amsterdam.”

“What happened?”

Villanelle sighs and lies down on the bed. “Carolyn wanted me to confirm the identity of the owner of Nadia Hotel in Amsterdam City and relay it to a hired assassin because he has been killing girls in the Red Light District and dumping their bodies in the Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal. I gave her the information and a costume to wear. She was successful but someone else showed up and attacked me after I helped her escape.”

“Who would have thought all of that excitement would come with a simple consulting position?”

“Excitement or danger?,” Villanelle scoffs dryly. “I wasn’t into it the way I used to be. If he had done that to me before, you know, before I met Eve and we had two kids, I would have slit his throat from ear to ear and tied him up to one of the boats on the canal. I couldn’t even bring myself to attack him back. All I did was kick him in the balls and stomp on his foot before he released me and ran off.”

“Is he dead?”

“Carolyn’s team tracked him down and had him killed, yes.”

“Isn’t it a good thing that you don’t find that kind of behavior thrilling anymore? I mean, you’re someone’s partner now and the parent to two tiny human beings, right?”

“Yes. It is a good thing but I don’t know if Eve likes it.”

“What?”

“Don’t you think part of the reason she fell in love with me was because I was dangerous? And so different from the moustache she was unfortunately married to?”

“Have you asked her how she feels? Both of you have very strong personalities and sometimes anger can overwhelm every other emotion. You have to talk to each other, not yell. Or hit. Or have hate sex.”

“How do you know about that?,” Villanelle asks, unable to restrain herself from posing the question.

Nadia laughs. “I had a hunch you two would be involved in some kinky behavior like that.”

“You should talk to Elena. She thinks we’re sex addicts.”

“And you’re not?”

Villanelle laughs at Nadia’s teasing tone before becoming serious again. “Eve thinks I want to have sex with the secretary at Billie’s school.”

“Do you?”

“No, of course not. But in Eve’s defense, Robin does have a crush on me and wasn’t afraid to show it when Eve and I had to pick up some papers earlier on from the school.”

“I hope you didn’t flirt back, you dog.”

“No! I was being good.”

“Ah,” Nadia replies, disbelievingly.

“What?”

“Oksana, every time you and I went out together, before, during, or after our assignments, people would gravitate towards you like a flock of birds. I swear, that one woman in Paris almost ripped off her own panties to throw at you.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Of course you don’t, but I still do. Do you see what I’m saying?”

“Yes. So what, I’m not allowed to feel similarly when it comes to Eve? People stare at her all the time like she’s a piece of meat. Especially when we go out on a date. I have to hold myself back from punching all of them in their stupid little faces.”

“Have you shared this with her, the fact that you get jealous?”

“I think she knows.”

“Does she? Sometimes it feels good, to know your partner is infatuated with you, too. This weekend, she was alone with the kids?”

“Her omma was helping her out.”

“But she was kind of alone taking care of them and you were in Amsterdam with your face and your body looking the way they look…”

“Okay, okay, I get your point.”

“Wow, you’re getting better at this. I don’t even need to say the whole sentence anymore.”

“I’m not like that anymore.”

“But she thinks you are. Why?”

“My neck was bruised and I’m no longer an assassin so she was wondering why…she has a point, I guess,” Villanelle’s voice trails off and she touches her sore neck.

“I think so. Even if it seems ludicrous.”

“I should talk to her then?”

“Duh! Are you stupid? She’s the best thing that has ever happened to you. What are you going to do, avoid speaking with her?”

“I mean, I have been. Kind of. We had sex earlier and I just walked away from her after.”

“You’re horrible. If you had done that to me, I would have slapped you. She has good self-restraint. Don’t do that again. It can be humiliating.”

“You’re speaking from personal experience?”

“This isn’t the time to reveal my mistakes but yes.”

“I need to see if she’s okay. I’ll talk to you later. Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll send you the invoice in the mail.”

“Ha, ha. Goodbye Nadia.”

“Goodbye Oksana.”

Villanelle hangs up and walks into Joon’s bedroom where Eve’s mother has finished dressing him. 

“Thanks, Omma. I’m going to play with him and we’ll come down in a bit?”

“Sure.” 

“Hey kid. You smell nice.”

“Omma gave me a bath.”

“I know she did. You want to play a game?”

“Yes. Where is Billie?”

“She’s sleeping with your Omma in her room. They’re tired so they’re taking a nap so we have to be a little quiet, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, pterodactyl. Let’s see what you got.”

Joon jumps from his bed and into Villanelle’s arms. She instantly lifts him into the air and he giggles his way around the periphery of the room.

**

When Eve wakes up, she hears Villanelle playing with Joon in his room. Billie is sleeping next to her, head tucked beneath Eve’s chin.

“Hi Omma,” Billie whispers when Eve stretches.

Billie’s eyes wander over Eve’s face and she reaches out to touch her cheek, copying a move Villanelle makes often.

“Hi sidekick,” Eve replies, bending forward to brush Billie’s hair away from her forehead and kiss her there.

“Are you and Mom are not talking?”

“We are, baby. I just missed her when she went away and there was a bit of a misunderstanding when she came back.”

“Because you didn’t think she would come back?”

“Your Mom will always come back, she loves you and Joon very much.”

“And you.”

“Yes, and me.”

“She loves you so much and that’s how me and Joon got here.”

“What?”

“Mom said because she loves you so much, that is how me and Joon got here.”

Eve blinks away the tears forming in the corners of her eyes and nods.

“Yes. Exactly. Where did you go with big Omma?”

“Aunt Christine’s house. We played with Ki. He is very loud!”

“Yes, he is. Did you eat over there?”

“Yes. But then Mom gave me some more food downstairs and now she is playing with Joon.”

“You didn’t want to join them?”

“No, I wanted to take a nap like you were doing. Mom told me not to wake you up so I tried to be very quiet when I got into bed. Did it work??”

“Yes, it did. Come on, let’s go downstairs and get some water and maybe we can go to the park?”

“Okay!”

Eve helps Billie get out of her bed before following her downstairs, smiling at the roars and giggles spilling out of Joon’s room. Eve follows Billie into the living room and hears her mother in the kitchen.

“Sit on the couch with your books for a second, okay? I’m just going to talk to big Omma. Don’t move out of the living room, please.”

“Okay.”

“Hi Omma. Are you okay?”

Eve sits down at the kitchen counter and watches her mother put the kettle on for tea. 

“Yes, Christine and Rob didn’t want the kids to leave. They wanted us to stay for dinner. It felt like old times, back in Connecticut. She said she doesn’t miss it as much anymore. I’m glad she decided to move here when I did. Are you and Oksana okay?”

“We still need to talk about some things.”

“Someone called you while you were taking a nap. You left your phone on the counter.”

Eve picks up her phone and sees Carolyn’s name. 

“Shit! Do you mind watching Billie?”

“No.”

Eve grabs her phone and runs upstairs to the bedroom to place the call.

“Hi Carolyn, I’m sorry I missed your call.”

“It’s fine, I was just checking on Villanelle. I’m sure you know she was stabbed during her work trip.”

“Uh, what??”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“I know she was injured but I didn’t know she was stabbed. Can you tell me what exactly happened?”

“I’d rather you hear it from her but the short of it is that she was tasked in identifying a target, providing clothing and information to my assassin, and getting her out safely immediately after the job was done. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way we planned. Villanelle had to step in when the assassin was ambushed and that’s when she was assaulted. I asked her to not contact you for a few days in case she was being followed. Thankfully, the attacker was tracked down and disposed of.” 

“Fuck,” Eve says quietly, hitting her hand against the wall before resting her forehead there. “Thanks for telling me but can you please make sure she doesn’t have to get involved in any of this physical stuff anymore? I’m not asking you as a former employee or as a concerned wife. I’m asking as the mother of two children.”

“I understand,” Carolyn replies, her voice a little less brash.

“Thanks for the call. Bye Carolyn.”

“Goodbye.”

Eve puts her phone in her pocket and sits down on the bed, palming her eyes so she doesn’t start to cry again.

A knock at the door pulls her towards it. When she opens it, Villanelle is standing in front of her in jeans and an Elton John t-shirt.

“May I come in?,” she asks softly, noticing Eve’s swollen eyes.

“Yes,” Eve replies and sits back down on the edge of the bed. 

Villanelle sits down next to her and opens her mouth to speak. “That image you saw? That wasn’t me. That was the assassin Carolyn hired. I was trying to help her get out safely but I was attacked. I didn’t contact you because it wasn’t safe since the attacker got away and Carolyn wasn’t sure if he was tracking me or not. I’m sorry for not communicating with you and for putting myself in danger.”

“No, I’m sorry for making assumptions and accusing you of things. Clearly, I was wrong, but I shouldn’t have reacted or acted the way I did. I was angry. I missed you. I was worrying about you all weekend. A lot of the things I said, I was projecting and that was completely unfair.”

“Are you bored with our life??”

“No, not at all. I love our life. I wouldn’t exchange it for anything, especially not our old lives. I just felt insecure about you leaving for a weekend after seeing you so involved with Billie’s school situation. I don’t know, I thought maybe you were tired and were looking forward to getting away from it all even though you have said and have showed me otherwise.”

“I love our life, too. I miss you when I have to go away and thank you for remembering that I have said that and showed you that. I really wanted you to come with me this weekend. We haven’t spent that much time together recently…”

“No, we haven’t. We should go somewhere for a weekend soon? Omma won’t mind. She will take the kids to Aunt Christine’s. I don’t want you to think we need to schedule sex, by the way. And of course I’m still fucking attracted to you. I want to have sex with you all the time.”

“Like now?,” Villanelle smirks, her hand reaching for Eve’s.

“Let me finish what I’m trying to say. Sex with you is already amazing and mind blowing. I’m not waiting for you to pull out a knife or a gun or whatever, it’s already enough. I don’t want you to think I’m thinking that I’m missing out on anything or wanting you to go back to someone you were before. Do you understand me?”

“Yes. But, you know, we can try using a knife if you want. I wouldn’t mind. I know how to be careful.”

Villanelle winks and Eve immediately blushes as the memory of her wife wearing a black veil and dress and pushing her against the countertop of her old apartment surfaces.

“Are you thinking of what I think you are thinking of?,” Villanelle whispers, her eyes moving from Eve’s eyes and down to her lips.

“Yes.”

“I still can’t believe you put a hit out on yourself so I would show up at your house. You could’ve just—“

“—asked? I know,” Eve replies, eyes moving from Villanelle’s mouth and down to her breasts.

Before Villanelle can close the gap between them, Eve puts her hand up.

“Wait. Can I see your bandage?”

“Yes.”

Eve lifts up Villanelle’s shirt and pulls it over her head. A fresh gauze bandage is beneath her bra on the right side of Villanelle’s body. Eve places her hand gently over it and looks at Villanelle, her eyes wide.

“Are you sure you don’t need to see anyone for this wound?”

“No, it’s not that deep. I stitched it myself. I’ve been cleaning it so it isn’t infected.”

“I’m really sorry, baby. I should have helped you when you came home. And I’m also sorry for accusing you of cheating. I do know you would never do that. You’re the most loyal and loving person I know.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry for not calling or texting you and making you feel worried and upset. I couldn’t take the risk of being tracked down and not coming back to you or to our kids.”

Villanelle’s brow is furrowed as she thinks about the man and how he tried to take her away from her family.

Eve leans forward and kisses her forehead, holding her face between her hands.

“You’re so brave. You’re the best partner and co-parent I could ever ask for. You really have given me everything I want. I’m grateful for you.”

“I’m grateful for you, too. Thank you for giving me our two kids.”

“I really don’t want you to get hurt again. I told Carolyn to make sure you don’t. She’s worried about you, too.”

“Really?,” Villanelle raises her eyebrows, her accent thick.

“Yes. She called me.”

“Oh.”

“She’s quite fond of you.”

“Don’t worry, I only have eyes for you,” Villanelle grins, repeating back to Eve one of her favorite lines.

“That’s funny, because I could say the same thing,” Eve whispers, kissing her wife on the neck.

Villanelle moves her hands to take off Eve’s shirt but Eve wags her finger at her. “Lie down. Just watch. We can stop at any time if you start to feel any pain, okay?” 

Eve quickly removes her bra, shirt, and jeans and straddles Villanelle around the waist. Villanelle tries to move her hands again so she can squeeze Eve’s breasts but Eve catches her hands and places them back down. 

“Don’t move,” she breathes before leaning forward and tying her shirt around Villanelle’s eyes. Villanelle gasps and her body jerks upwards when she feels Eve’s tongue running up the middle of her stomach before circling her breasts. 

“Can I touch now?,” Villanelle asks, unashamed of the whine in her voice.

“Yes,” Eve replies, her voice next to Villanelle’s ear, “but only if you can successfully remove my underwear.”

Eve adjusts her stance so that her knees are bent and she’s leaning back on her hands. She smirks as Villanelle’s hands run over her body until she finds the waistband of her underwear. She grabs both sides and gently pulls it down Eve’s legs, making Eve moan in the process. 

“Lean back,” Villanelle whispers.

“Don’t get too comfortable. I’m going to take your spot and you’re going to sit on my face,” Eve whispers, leaning forward to remove her t-shirt.

Villanelle groans. “How are you turning me on when I’m already so turned on?”

A few seconds later, Villanelle is palming the wall and moaning Eve’s name, her hips rocking to meet Eve’s lips and tongue.

Villanelle tries to vocalize that she’s close but her voice dies down as she feels herself coming undone against Eve’s mouth. She sits back on her haunches, head thrown back and eyes squinted shut. She grabs Eve’s hands from her hips, holding them tightly in her own as tremors run through her body. Breathing heavily, she moves so that she is lying flat against Eve, her legs on either side of hers with her kneecaps against the mattress and supporting most of her weight.

Sweat is covering both of their bodies and Villanelle can feel beads of it trickling down her neck. She can hardly open her eyes but when she does, Eve is smiling at her, a smug expression on her face.

“I can’t believe you…,” Villanelle pants, resting her forehead against Eve’s and returning her lustful gaze.

Eve laughs, lifting her head slightly off the pillow to capture Villanelle’s lips between her own. “Welcome home, baby.”

“I think I need another nap.”

The second Villanelle hears the doorknob rattling, she quickly rolls off of Eve and throws a sheet over them.

“Hi Billie,” Eve says, pulling Billie from the floor and setting her on top of her lap.

“Why are you damp, omma?,” Billie scrunches up her eyebrows and scrutinizes Eve’s sweaty face, reaching her hand out to brush away the hair sticking to Eve’s forehead.

“I was exercising.”

“You went running like Mom?”

“Yes.”

“Around your room?”

“Something like that.”

“But you don’t let me run around my room.” 

Billie glances at Villanelle who is trying her best not to burst out laughing. 

“Mom, why are you laughing?”

“Omma is an excellent runner.” Villanelle widens her eyes and nods convincingly. 

“Wow, really?” Eve throws Villanelle one of her looks and tries to jab her in the side.

“Did you go running, too, Mom?”

“Okay, you’re too smart for your own good,” Villanelle hastily says. “Go and play with your brother and big Omma for a few more minutes. We’ll take you to the park as soon as we get downstairs, okay?”

“Okay.”

Eve lifts Billie down and watches her leave the room before getting up and shutting the door, a shocked expression on her face. “You told her we were running?! What if she tells Omma that?,” Eve hisses.

“Your mother knows what she knows,” Villanelle laughs, getting out of bed and wrapping her arms around her wife. “You smell like sex,” she mumbles into Eve’s hair, slipping one hand around her back and tangling the other in her hair.

“Hmm, so do you. If you keep talking, we’ll be back in bed and Billie will probably break the door down.”

“You’re right. Let’s get ready for the park so she isn’t waiting.”

“Hey—,” Eve pulls Villanelle back towards her. “If our kids run around in the park, they’ll fall asleep pretty soon after we get home.”

“And…?,” Villanelle quirks an eyebrow, grinning down at her wife’s flushed face.

“We can watch a movie and eat crappy junk food. We haven’t done that in a long time.”

“Are you asking me out on a living room date?”

“Are you saying yes?”

“I’m saying fuck yes.”

Villanelle kisses Eve and they get dressed. Five minutes later, they walk into the kitchen.

“Hi Omma,” Eve says as she follows a smug looking Villanelle towards the counter where Joon is sitting. 

“Did you two finally make up?,” Omma asks, eyebrows slightly raised and a small grin on her face.

“Yes, we had a very long discussion,” Villanelle replies, giving Eve’s mother a wink. “Billie, go and put your shoes and coat on please.”

Eve leans on the counter and buries her head in her hands, skin heating up from embarrassment.

“Hey brontosaurus, are you coming with us to the park?,” Villanelle asks her son, ruffling his hair.

“No, I am tired.”

“I can stay with him, go and take Billie,” Eve suggests.

“Why don’t you both go with Billie and me and Joon can watch a movie?”

“Are you sure, Omma?”

“Yes, go on and get out of here.”

“Bye Omma, Bye Joon!,” Billie yells excitedly from the door.

“Come here, tiny dancer,” Villanelle shouts, crouching down so Billie can run into her open arms.

“Hey, Billie, make sure you don’t kick your mom, okay? Be gentle,” Eve says, putting on a parka and her sneakers.

“Bye Rocket Man!!,” Billie yells, waving her small arm frantically over Villanelle’s shoulder.

“Bye!!,” Joon yells back, grinning.

“Are you ready, sexy mama?,” Villanelle murmurs against Eve’s ear.

“Yes,” Eve replies, trying to ignore her arousal at the sound of Villanelle’s voice. The two exchange a quick kiss as Billie squeals beneath their chins.

“You’re not mad at each other anymore,” she states plainly.

“No, we’re not, smartypants,” Villanelle grins, shaking her head at Eve with wide eyes.

Eve follows Villanelle and Billie out the door and locks it behind her.

“Where’s Omma?,” Billie asks, turning her head to look around.

“I’m right here,” Eve replies, catching up with Villanelle and sliding her arm around her waist.

"Right from the start  
I gave you my heart  
Oh oh, I gave you my heart.  
So don't go breaking my heart,  
I won't go breaking your heart.  
Don't go breaking my heart."


	5. "Orange Sky"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and Villanelle take Billie to the park where Eve tells Villanelle she has to leave for a work trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter named after the Alexi Murdoch song of the same name.
> 
> Lyrics:  
> Well I had a dream  
> I stood beneath an orange sky  
> Yes I had a dream  
> I stood beneath an orange sky  
> With my brother standing by  
> With my brother standing by  
> I said Brother, you know you know  
> It's a long road we've been walking on  
> Brother you know it is you know it is  
> Such a long road we've been walking on  
> And I had a dream  
> I stood beneath an orange sky  
> With my sister standing by  
> With my sister standing by  
> I said Sister, here is what I know now  
> Here is what I know now  
> Goes like this  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, in your love, in your love  
> But sister you know I'm so weary  
> And you know sister  
> My hearts been broken  
> Sometimes, sometimes  
> My mind is too strong to carry on  
> Too strong to carry on  
> When I am alone  
> When I've thrown off the weight of this crazy stone  
> When I've lost all care for the things I own  
> That's when I miss you, that's when I miss you, that's when I miss you  
> You who are my home  
> You who are my home  
> And here is what I know now  
> Here is what I know now  
> Goes like this  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, my salvation lies  
> In your love, in your love, in your love
> 
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOBWSb14wrU

Billie runs ahead of Eve and Villanelle and towards the swing set the second they enter the park.

"Hey! Slow down!," Eve calls out, letting go of Villanelle's hand to catch up with Billie. 

"I know how excited you are but you cannot run ahead of us like that, okay?," Eve murmurs, crouching in front of Billie and looking her in the eyes.

"Yes, omma," Billie replies, swallowing down her whine after Villanelle gives her a warning look.

"Do you want me to push you or do you want Mom to push you?"

"Both!," Billie exclaims, giggling.

Eve stands up, grinning, and pulls Villanelle behind the swing so they can push the swing together.

"She's easy to please. I hope she stays like this forever," Villanelle says, pulling the swing back so Billie can gain more air.

"Careful, baby. We don't need an emergency visit to the hospital."

"Are you holding on tightly, sidekick?," Villanelle calls out, playfully ignoring Eve's concern.

"YES," Billie screams back, her curly hair flying loose behind her.

"See? Nothing to worry about," Villanelle nudges Eve, pulling her closer to her body and kissing her on the temple.

"You and Billie are my little daredevils. I shudder to think what you two would be up to if I had stayed home."

"Oh, the usual. I'd be launching her into the air from the top of the slide."

"Ha, ha. Speaking of air, I need to leave for work next week."

"For how long?"

"Three days."

"Where to?"

"Lisbon."

"Are you going alone?"

"Bear is coming with me."

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. Are you going to be okay with the homeschooling? I think we should start sooner rather than later. We can look over different curriculums tonight?"

"Eve, we'll be fine. This will be a nice break for you, anyway."

"I don't want to leave. I love spending time with you and our kids."

"I know you do but you also love your work. I'm grateful that your hours are flexible or you wouldn't be able to spend so much time at home so I want you to leave and enjoy yourself and then we'll welcome you back with a party."

"Okay."

"Omma, look!," Billie cries out, hurling herself off the swing and running towards the slide.

Villanelle suddenly spins and runs behind her, grabbing her around the waist. Billie's squeals reach Eve's ears and she pulls out her phone and snaps some candid shots, smiling at the intimacy.

"Someone thought they could escape from the dragon whose castle this is," Villanelle growls, her voice low and rough, as she prowls around the stairs to the slide.

"Noo, I didn't!," Billie laughs, shaking her head.

"Fine, I will let you pass but only because you laughed and were not afraid of me. What is the password to get inside?"

"Omma!"

"Yes," Villanelle grins, winking at Eve, and stepping aside so Billie can walk up the stairs.

"I'll be waiting at the bottom, baby," Eve says, watching Villanelle climb the stairs after Billie. 

A few seconds later, Billie comes flying down the slide with Villanelle hot on her heels. 

"You're such a child," Eve smirks, grabbing Billie before stepping back so Villanelle can stand up.

"Do you want to go on the slide or are you scared?," Villanelle teases, taking Billie and blowing a raspberry in her belly.

"The dragon is very hungry," Villanelle roars, lifting her head up and kissing Billie's cheeks as she continues to laugh.

"Go and eat some grass then!," Billie squeaks out and Villanelle puts her down on the ground.

"Go and play in the sandbox, okay? Omma and I are going to sit down on this bench. You tired us out already."

"Speak for yourself, dragon master."

Villanelle collapses into the bench, breathing hard, and gladly accepting her water bottle that Eve pulls out of her black purse.

"Thank you. When did you pack that? What else do you have in that suspiciously large bag of yours?"

"Earlier on. I knew you'd forget it. And don't you worry. I have what I need."

"Do you want some?"

Eve takes a swig of water before tightening the bottle and putting it back in her purse.

"Am I old? I feel like I'm so tired lately," Villanelle groans, stretching out her legs.

"That's parenthood, baby."

"I feel like a dinosaur. I can't even play without feeling out of breath. Maybe I should double down on the workouts."

"V?"

"Yes."

"You exercise enough as it is. I don't think you need to do more of it. I want you to take care of your body, not run it down."

"So you're saying you like me exactly how I am now?"

"God, you're so arrogant," Eve jokes, smiling against Villanelle's lips and returning her kiss.

"I just want to look good for you."

"You already do."

"Eve, look."

Eve turns her face from Villanelle's and gasps at the setting sun turning the sky orange and golden yellow in front of their eyes.

"It's so beautiful."

"Like you," Villanelle whispers, sliding her arm around Eve's shoulder so Eve can rest her head against hers.

"Are you sure you're going to be safe when you go to Lisbon?"

"I'm sure, baby. I trust Bear."

"I do, too, but the work that you do is inherently dangerous. That's why I'm worried."

"I don't want you to worry. I'll take every precaution to be safe."

"I know you will. Can you tell me anything about the target?"

"Let's talk about it later, when Billie and Joon are asleep?"

"Okay."

"When you were gone, I tried to tell Billie a story with a dragon because I know how much she loves your one and she said I sounded like an injured tiger when I tried to roar."

"This dragon loves this injured tiger," Villanelle smiles and kisses Eve on the nose. "You can roar for me later and I'll be the judge. Do you want to get her home now? She seems tired, no?"

"She is. Billie, are you ready to leave?"

Billie stands up and runs towards the bench, flinging herself into Villanelle's lap.

"Thank you for the sand bath, kiddo," Villanelle grins, standing up and placing Billie on top of her shoulders.

"Are you holding on tightly?," Eve asks Billie, looking up at her smiling face.

"Yes."

"Are you ready, Mom?," Eve asks Villanelle.

"Ready, Omma."

"Let's go then," Eve says, grabbing her purse and walking next to Villanelle who is holding onto Billie's legs with her hands.

"Did you have fun, baby?," Villanelle asks, moving her eyes upwards.

"Yes."

"What did you build in the sandbox?"

"Me, you, Omma, Big Omma, Joon."

"Who was the pail and who was the spade?"

"Omma was the pail and you were the spade."

"I see. And you were telling us a story?"

"Yes."

"What was it about?"

"Omma fell asleep in my bed and I fell asleep in yours so I was telling both of you to sleep in your own bed so I can sleep in my own bed."

Eve bursts out laughing, dipping her head down so Billie doesn't catch her.

"Did you make that up or was it based on recent events?," Villanelle teases, nudging Eve with her elbow.

"Recent events."

"Looks like we have a budding nonfiction writer on our hands, Omma," Villanelle proclaims. "Maybe I can look up some writing classes for her."

"I think she'd like that, Mom."

As they approach the front door, Eve looks back and sighs at the brilliantly hued sky. Villanelle opens the door and Billie walks inside, removing her shoes at the door and yelling for Joon.

"Hey," Villanelle says softly, turning back towards Eve. "You okay?"

"Yes. Can we just stand out here for a second?"

"Sure."

Villanelle closes the door behind her and leans against it. When Eve steps in front of her, she reaches around her and clasps her hands around her waist.

"I never really appreciated sunsets until after we got married," Villanelle murmurs, resting her chin above Eve's shoulder. 

"Really?"

"Yeah. I started to notice them because you would point them out. They're breathtaking."

"They are. And I'm glad I did that for you. It's so easy to overlook. Probably because it happens every day."

"Are you talking about the sunset or something else?"

"I'm talking about you and the way you are with our kids. You're so good with them. Thank you."

"Turn around."

Eve obliges and puts her hand above Villanelle's shirt, right above the wound.

"You're an excellent omma. Even when you sound like an injured tiger."

Eve laughs and rests her forehead on the left side of Villanelle's chest, wrapping her arms around her back.

"I know you're worried about leaving but you know what's nice about doing so?"

"Hm?"

"The reunion sex."

"You're terrible!," Eve squeals, pulling herself away from her wife's body to look her in the eyes and fix her with one of her faux annoyed looks.

"The dragon is very hungry."

"Calm down, tiger. We have a movie date tonight, remember?"

"So no sex?"

"No sex. Movie and rest."

"Fine. Can we watch Clueless?"

"Again??"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villanelle learns about Eve's upcoming work trip and worries about the danger she will be in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Inauguration Day! 
> 
> Today I am thinking of the lives that have been lost under the previous administration. The dismissive attitude. The spiteful rhetoric. The incessant bullying. 
> 
> Here's to embracing inclusivity and making space for it at every single table. Celebrating diversity instead of championing division. Contributing to a culture where love for each other is emphasized, in whatever form that may take. 
> 
> May the negative energy from these last few years disappear and make way for hope. History was made today. The First Second Gentleman is Jewish. The Vice President is a black, South Asian woman. The First Lady is an educator. Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, became the nation's youngest inaugural poet (check out her poem here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mTmTdOgv0M). 
> 
> Progress has to be made, yes, but we also should take the time to celebrate the historic firsts that occurred before our eyes. May these firsts not be the lasts.
> 
> Sending you all appreciation and love. Be safe.

Joon yells at the sight of Billie barrelling towards him from his position on the couch, causing Eve's mother to cover her ears and squeal in surprise at the enthusiasm of her grandchildren. She glances at Eve and raises her eyebrows. 

"I think someone needs a bath?," Omma asks, bending down to pick Billie up as she shakes her head no and giggles.

"Hi Omma," Villanelle greets her mother-in-law with a kiss on her cheek and takes her sweaty daughter from her arms. 

"It's time for you and your brother to get ready for bed, hm?," Villanelle asks, rubbing her daughter's stomach.

Eve sits down next to her mother and Villanelle motions for Joon to kiss her and Omma goodnight.

"Come on, Rocket Man. Are you full?"

"Billie, your face is messy," Joon laughs, running after Billie as she runs up the stairs and disappears from Villanelle's sight. 

"Good luck, baby," Eve calls out, winking at Villanelle when she turns around to look at her.

"Pour me some wine," Villanelle jokes and heads into the bathroom, calling out for Billie.

One hour later...

"Hey. Eve. Wake up."

Villanelle peers into Eve's face, startling her.

"You fell asleep on the couch. Come on, time to go upstairs. Are you hungry? You didn't eat anything when we came back. I can make you some food."

"No, it's okay. Maybe something small to snack on. I'm not feeling too well."

"Can I take your temperature?," Villanelle asks, her tone changing from an insistent one to a worried one. Before waiting for Eve to reply, she's walking into the downstairs guest bathroom and removing the thermometer from the drawer.

"Open," she says to Eve who drops her jaw and lets Villanelle slip the thermometer beneath her tongue.

"Hm. You don't have a temperature. What is hurting, your stomach?"

"No, my chest area. Left side."

"Hmm. Is it anxiety?"

"I think so."

"From what you're working on?"

"Yes."

"Can we talk about it now? Here, wear these."

Villanelle hands Eve one of her t-shirts and shorts and watches her change into them before getting into bed.

"Don't judge me. I'm too tired to brush my teeth or wash my face."

"I'm not judging you. I'm going to make you something to drink. I'll be back." Villanelle kisses Eve on the forehead and goes downstairs. She texts Bear and asks him to call her when he has the chance, saying it's urgent. Five seconds later, her phone rings.

"Is Eve okay?," Bear asks, his voice low.

"She's upstairs, in our bed. She isn't feeling well. She told me you're going with her on an assignment next week?"

"Uh..yes. You weren't supposed to know that, but..."

"What do you mean, I'm not supposed to know that?," Villanelle hisses, pouring a mugful of almond milk into a pot on top of the stove and adding two spoonfuls of cocoa.

"Eve hasn't told you about the assignment yet?"

"She's not feeling well. I don't want to bother her."

"I think you should wait until the morning and ask her about it."

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember my conversation about penises?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"I hope you know what you are doing. I know where you work, after all."

Villanelle huffs and hangs up on a very flustered Bear, her brow furrowed as she wonders who the Lisbon target is.

"Fine. If Bear won't tell me, I'm going to do my own research."

Villanelle pours the cocoa from the pot into a large mug and adds miniature vegan marshmallows, just the way Eve likes it. She places the mug on a tray along with two vegan chocolate chip cookies and a glass of water. By the time she steps back into her bedroom, Eve is leaning against the headboard, pillow placed behind her lower back and has her eyes closed.

"Are you awake?," Villanelle asks softly, setting the tray down on the bedside table to Eve's left before closing their bedroom door and sitting next to Eve in bed.

"Yes," Eve replies, eyes opening. She gratefully takes a sip of her hot chocolate and sighs contentedly. "Are our babies asleep?"

"Yes."

"Omma?"

"She's asleep, too. Is your chest still aching?"

"The pain subsided. It must have been anxiety."

"Eve..."

"V, I have to go. I know you would prefer that I stayed here but nobody else can do this assignment but me."

"Can I come with you?," Villanelle implores, reaching for Eve's right hand and squeezing it.

"No."

"Are you going to tell me about the assignment?"

"Yes."

"Who is the target of your investigation?"

"Someone who knows Konstantin and Dasha, I am sure. Possibly even some of your family members in Russia."

"Who?"

"A high-ranking member of SoIntsevskaya."

"Mikhailov?," Villanelle gasps, her face flushing with concern.

"His nephew. The mastermind behind a ludicrous drug trafficking operation between Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris."

"Eve, do you know how-"

"How dangerous he is? Yes. That's why Bear will be with me."

"Why are you being so stubborn? I want to come with you."

"V, you were just stabbed."

"So? I'm healed now."

"If we both go and something happens to us...then what? What about the kids?"

Villanelle's breath catches in her throat and she suddenly understands the reasoning behind what Eve is saying, despite the way it makes her chest hurt.

"I'm going to go for a drive, okay?"

"Are we done talking?," Eve asks, raising her eyebrows and looking at Villanelle with concern.

"I'm not upset. You've made up your mind and I know I cannot change it. I just need some time to think. Call me if you need anything."

Villanelle kisses Eve on the lips before walking out of the room, closing the bedroom door behind her, and running downstairs. Her phone dings before she opens the front door.

Eve: Please be safe. I love you.

Villanelle shuts the door behind her, double checking to see if it is locked and to see if anyone might be watching.

"I love you, too," she whispers as she starts the car and drives off, the house behind her looking smaller and smaller before it disappears completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for you, @Maverick009 I hope you like this update. xx.


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